


Fallen Love

by voix



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:07:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22383061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voix/pseuds/voix
Summary: A dying village and a young man with nothing but hope and a wish to save that village lead to an expedition into the mythical Thabes Labyrinth. What lurks within was more than this young man expected. A new power is rising, and it is greater than the world could have ever imagined.
Relationships: Gimurei | Grima/Original Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6





	Fallen Love

**Author's Note:**

> Grima is a bastard and I love him very much
> 
> This fic is very self-indulgent but I'm really excited to be posting it
> 
> I don't know how long it'll ultimately be or how often I'll be updating it but I'm set on actually finishing this one
> 
> P.S. To anyone coming to this fic after reading the other one I posted I'm gonna rewrite that one from scratch but it will get finished!

_ This is the Thabes Labyrinth.  _

_ Let none set foot within its cursed halls. _

This was it. Nukhu couldn’t believe he made it in one piece, but the shadowed entrance to the infamous Thabes Labyrinth yawned imposingly before him. The urge to go in and explore was great, but Nukhu quickly lost feeling in his legs from the arduous trek through Mamorthod once his initial excitement wore off and he collapsed next to the stone plaque bearing the warning. Nukhu pulled a flask out from under his robes and took a large swig of water. He was thankful to be out of the sun and began to remove layers of sand blasted coverings. His back length dark brown hair unraveled and fell out of the protective wrappings in a messy heap. Nukhu pulled off the strip of cloth protecting his fair face from the scorching desert sun and took a deep breath of stale air. No living thing had entered these halls in who knows how many years. Left wearing only a plain gray tunic and leather sandals, Nukhu slowly pulled himself up using the stone marker. Nukhu was 23 years old, of average height around 5’7” with a slim build and freckle frosted cheeks. He picked up his travel bag and slung it over his back and slowly made his way into the labyrinth. As the darkness engulfed him, Nukhu muttered something under his breath and a small ball of fire appeared in the palm of his hand before rising up to circle around his head. Nukhu was a mage hailing from a small village in the southwest on the continent of Ylisse. The past few seasons his village was hit by successive drought and crop failure. With the people’s hope quickly vanishing, Nukhu devoted himself to finding some sort of magical remedy that could save his village. His research led him to learn about the ancient Thabes Labyrinth. He knew Thabes was once an advanced magical civilization long before even the hero-king was born and the possibility of something that could help his people being there was too enticing to pass up. With nothing but fleeting hope, Nukhu set out from his village and traveled across Ylisse to eventually reach Thabes. During his travels he tried to gather as much information as he could about the place. He learned of the “demon alchemist” Forneus and the alleged horrors he created that prompted Thabes’ rulers to build the labyrinth and imprison Forneus within his own home. Nukhu dismissed this story as fear induced folklore, yet he couldn’t shake the nervousness off as he descended deeper inside.

_ In Thabes lived an alchemist named Forneus, much praised for his genius. In time he would be feared by all. _

Another marker, just like the one at the entrance. Did the ancient Thabeans put them down as warnings? Nukhu ran a hand across the weathered stone surface as hazel eyes examined his dimly lit surroundings. Much of the interior had collapsed. Desert sand already found its way inside. Most noticeable of all was how quiet it was. Not even the sound of any desert animals that could have feasibly moved in could be heard. Nukhu shook his head and continued onwards. Eventually he reached a gaping maw. With no sign of stairs or other way to get down he looked over the edge and gingerly got down on the ground. With steeled nerves Nukhu pushed himself off the edge. With a soft thud he found himself in a large mound of sand and one floor lower. Thankful for this good luck Nukhu offered a silent prayer that reaching the next floor would be just as easy.

_ Two matters consumed Forneus, and he spent his life in their pursuit. _

This marker and the one right before it were different than the first one. It was as if they were telling a story. Whatever the alchemist Forneus had done, the city of Thabes feared it. Nukhu pressed forward cautiously. The absolute silence should have been comforting and natural in these ruins, yet it was unnerving and made Nukhu uneasy.

_ The First was how to wake the dead and control them as his army. _

_ The second was the creation of a singular, perfect being. _

Nukhu found two more stone markers further in. Their words sent a chill down his spine. An army of the living dead. And a “perfect” being. The very thought of raising the dead and using them as tools made Nukhu nauseous and forced him to sit down and relax. He took a drink of water and looked around at the crumbling walls. This place was a tomb. A tomb for one man and his twisted dreams. Yet Nukhu couldn’t turn back now. He refused to accept the long journey to get here was for nothing while his village continued to suffer. There had to be something here that could be of help. Yet all Nukhu found so far were smashed urns and broken rotten wooden crates. Even if Forneus was a mad man, Nukhu had to believe he could find something of value. With a soft sigh he picked himself back up and resumed the plunge.

_ We senators sent forth messengers to Forneus. None returned. _

_ Next, the Council dispatched soldiers. Still none returned. _

The labyrinth seemed endless. Each time Nukhu thought he was close to the end there was another opening leading further underground. How he was going to get out was beyond him, but giving up was not an option.

_ Thus, the Council chose to seal Forneus’s workshop with him inside it. _

Nukhu stopped suddenly. Something large was hunched over a few feet away from him. This area was one of the better standing parts of the labyrinth so far. Slowly, Nukhu made his way forward and couldn’t stifle his gasp. The corpse of a large red dragon lay in front of him. Whether due to dragon physiology or the environment of the labyrinth it had barely decayed. A large gash ran across its front. This dragon did not die naturally. Something or someone killed it and whatever it was, Nukhu hoped it too was long gone. He crept past the dragons corpse and made his way up a flight of stairs and found another marker.

_ The seal they used was made to last until the city crumbled to sand. _

Nukhu looked up just past the marker and saw a great stone door with many cracks centered around an ornate gold shield with a red jewel encrusted in the middle. Nukhu slowly approached the door. He gingerly pried the shield out of its socket and looked it over. The red gem glimmered in the faint light of Nukhu’s spell. Suddenly the stone door shuddered, and with a great lurch opened down the middle and slid into the wall. At once a freezing gust of wind came rushing out of the darkness beyond the door and sent a heavy chill through Nukhu’s entire body. Forneus’s workshop lay just beyond this threshold. Nukhu didn’t know what to expect after reading the story scattered on the markers. If Forneus really created such horrors could they still be down there, waiting? With a deep breath he pressed onward.

_ Here lies sealed the workshop of the demon alchemist Forneus. _

This was really it. Just beyond this marker was another chasm leading further down. Whatever was down there Nukhu prayed a solution to end his people's suffering was among the ruins. He closed his eyes...and jumped.

-

It was cold. Nukhu felt as if the blood in his veins might freeze over at any moment. The flame he cast was dimmer and no amount of coaxing seemed to brighten it up. Nukhu pushed himself up and off the sand mound he landed on and looked around. The overall architecture was similar to the upper levels, but the atmosphere felt heavy, as if something hung in the air. Nukhu continued onward into the hall ahead. He scanned the area as he walked and his eyes landed on something jutting out of the sand. Picking it up he brushed off the sand to reveal a grotesque mask with an open mouth, uneven teeth, and stitches coming out from the mouth’s sides. Did Forneus craft this? Nukhu wondered at its purpose and decided to take it with him. He stowed it in his bag and kept going. Before too long he came upon another marker and another chasm.

**_A critical component in the death mask is a particular shelled insect._ **

The death mask? Nukhu pulled the old mask he found out of his bag and looked it over. Was this...the death mask? It didn’t seem all that remarkable. And what sort of insect was the writing referring to? Nukhu turned the mask over to examine the inside. He noticed a small bump where the masks inside would meet a person’s forehead. If this was the death mask, Nukhu wanted to study it properly. The writing here was also different from the previous markers. Did Forneus carve these words? Were these his research notes? He put the mask back in his bag and took another leap into the level below.

**_I have come to call these marvels of nature thanatophages._ **

**_Placed on a cadaver, thanatophages set down roots and assert control._ **

The labyrinth was getting longer. The halls already had trick passages leading to dead ends, but now they were increasingly winding. The air was also getting colder. It had grown so cold that Nukhu could see his breath in front of his face whenever he breathed out. He still had no clue just how deep the labyrinth went but the end felt close.

**_At last, blood from a divine dragon! Its power is terrifying. Beautiful._ **

The blood of a divine dragon...the mere thought of what Forneus might have used it for scared Nukhu. He studied the legends and heard the tales of dragonkind and their fade from history. The divine dragon Naga is a well known figure and her power is said to be godlike. What did Forneus do with the blood he acquired?

**_The Senate has granted me all I need to craft life anew. I’ve succeeded._ **

The words from an earlier marker flashed through Nukhu’s mind; the creation of a “singular, perfect being.” Is that what Forneus was referring to? Did he actually create a new form of life? Nukhu’s curiosity mingled with his fear. He had to focus on his original mission but the ability to create life? Restore the dead? Maybe that was the answer. If he could replicate Forneus’s research on a benign level he could bring life back to the land and save his village. Nukhu steeled himself and continued on his way through the labyrinth. There had to be something left of Forneus’s work that Nukhu could salvage.

**_At first, it was a tiny thing._ **

**_But on day 80, I gave it my blood._ **

**_It grew._ **

“It grew.” Those words lingered at the forefront of Nukhu’s thoughts. Whatever “it” is, Forneus was its creator. The bigger question was if “it” was still alive somewhere down there? Nukhu had no idea what to expect anymore. He walked past this marker and peered into the all too familiar chasm. The air around the opening was practically frozen solid. Nukhu couldn’t stop shivering and he tried to steel himself as best he could for what he hoped was the final plunge.

**_Its voice echoes in my head._ **

**_Dark thoughts._ **

**_Violent th–_ **

The words on this marker were sloppily inscribed. Whatever happened to Forneus he was unable to finish his thoughts. Nukhu gulped. Did “it” do this to him? Whatever happened here caused Forneus to lose his life. Nukhu only hoped he wouldn’t follow suit. Some sort of force was pressing down on him and made it difficult to breathe. His ball of light had gone out but a pair of stone braziers were lit with an eerie purple flame. Something was down here, and Nukhu felt that he was about to find out what. He made his way forward slowly under increasing pressure. A flight of stairs led down and Nukhu felt as if he reached the center of the world at this point. The stairs felt endless, the pressure almost unbearable, and the silence terrifying. Eventually, Nukhu reached the bottom of the stairs and came face to face with a set of doors engraved with a strange symbol. A wishbone shaped mark with two twists at the bottom and a set of six eyes in two columns on the sides was staring at him. His mind was telling him to leave the door closed, but there was nowhere left for Nukhu to go. He placed his hands on the doors and pushed. Darkness. The force was overwhelming and Nukhu found himself barely able to stand. Still he pushed forward, feet as heavy as lead. Once past the threshold the doors suddenly closed behind him and Nukhu yelped with a start. He could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears along with something...else. It sounded like breathing. Long, heavy breaths that came from every direction. It was an overwhelming sound and Nukhu found his legs buckling underneath him. The breathing grew louder and felt like it was inside his head.

“ _...Well, well. _ ” A sudden and loud hissing filled the air and bore into Nukhu’s mind. “ _ I can barely remember the last time a living thing set foot in these halls. What is something so frail doing crawling into these depths? _ ” Nukhu gripped his head and squeezed his eyes shut. The voice hurt. It sent violent shudders through his whole body. “ _ So, so frail… _ ” It continued. “ _ Are you a warrior? A thief? A seeker? Speak, little creature. _ ” Despite the command Nukhu could barely form a response in his head, let alone utter it.

“I–” Nukhu slowly choked out. “I… came… for… knowledge…”

“ _ A seeker then. My maker cared only for two things. If you seek his knowledge then you must desire his control over life. Not that it saved his own life. _ ” The voice let out a bone chilling laugh.

“I… need… knowledge… t-to s-save… my… village…” Each word was a struggle and each breath felt like inhaling glass shards. “Please… my p-people… dying…” The voice was silent, as if contemplating Nukhu’s words.

“ _ My makers knowledge will not aid the dying, only the dead. If you seek to save lives using his work then you have come in vain. _ ” The voice’s words tore at Nukhu’s hope. There had to be  _ something _ of use. “ _ However… _ ” The voice resumed after a brief pause. “ _ My power might be able to save your fellow frail ones. I offer this bargain; become my vessel so I may travel to the surface and I shall grant you my strength to save the life of your village. I sense you are already touched by magic and with my powers you would be as a god. _ ” Become its vessel? Without a doubt this was Forneus’s creation. If the oppressive atmosphere was a result of its power then it might actually be able to help. “ _ Well? What say you? _ ” Nukhu had no way to verify the creations claim, but his people couldn’t wait much longer. This was the best chance he had at a real solution.

“I… accept…” He murmured.

“ _ Excellent! _ ” The voice said with what sounded like glee. Six purple flames erupted into being and hung in a circle above Nukhu. Nukhu himself lay on his side in the middle of a large circular area with the same brand on the floor that was on the door. “ _ With your blood our lives shall become one. We are bound until the land returns to the sea and the stars grow cold in the night sky. Two become one and the one becomes all. So it is said, so it is done. _ ” A sharp pain pierced Nukhu’s right hand and suddenly it felt wet. He slowly opened one eye to look at his hand and saw it glistening with blood. Before he could properly react his body was suddenly pulled into the air by an invisible force and his eyes forced wide open. The purple flames danced further above him before stopping and lining up with the eyes on the mark.

“Who… are you…?” Nukhu muttered.

“ _ I… am perfection. _ ”


End file.
